How to help

• Understand that substance use disorder is a chronic disease that requires treatment, support, and new coping skills.
• Speak up and offer support. Talk to the person about your concerns, and offer your help and encouragement, including joining them when they seek help.
• Show your love and concern. Be ready for excuses, denial, or anger. Be prepared to share specific examples of behavior that worries you and why.
• Support recovery as an ongoing process. Stay involved once your loved one has started their recovery process, and know that relapse can be a part of that process.
• Find your own support network. Family and friends need encouragement and support, too. (See below: Get support.)

• Don’t expect your loved one to stop using when you want them to or without help.
• Don’t lecture, or make threats or bribes. This can cause a bigger divide between you and your loved one.
• Don’t appeal to their emotions to try and make them stop. This might cause extreme guilt or regret, and can increase the urge to drink or use other drugs.
• Don’t cover up, lie, or make excuses for your loved one and their behavior.
• Don’t assume their responsibilities. Taking over their responsibilities protects them from the consequences of their behavior.
• Don’t argue while someone is under the influence.

If your loved one is ready to accept help, you can call 800.327.5050 to talk with a trained Helpline Specialist who will guide you. You can also learn more here about treatment services and how to access treatment.

Sometimes a person is ready to accept help and enter treatment, and sometimes they are not. Whether or not the person is ready for help, getting support for yourself is helpful.

Education, support groups, community coalitions, and advocacy groups help many people feel that they are not alone and they aren’t responsible for someone’s drinking or other drug use.

You can also call the Helpline at 800.327.5050 to learn about your options for support.

If the person you care about is using heroin or prescription opioids (like oxycodone or Vicodin®), you can learn how to prevent overdose. You can also stop an overdose with naloxone (Narcan®).

Naloxone saves lives. It’s safe, easy to use, and cannot be abused. If someone you love is using opioids, it is a good idea to get trained to use naloxone and always have it with you.

Find out more about Naloxone, overdose prevention, and where to find naloxone near you.

Section 35 (Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 123) permits the courts to involuntarily commit a person whose alcohol or other drug use puts themselves or others at risk. It can lead to inpatient substance use treatment for up to 90 days.

Section 35 is an option of last resort and should only be used when all other treatment options have not worked for your loved one, and they are an immediate danger to themselves or others.

Find information about the Section 35 process here.